I was contacted by Terry’s Blinds awhile back. They asked me to share my Designer Insights.

My interview was posted on their website here, just last week. I was/am honored to be chosen among SO many talented designers, creators and talented people.

Here is the post in it’s entirety. I hope you enjoy it.

Meegan Fast is a lover of all things thrifting and vintage, sharing her latest finds, DIY crafts and recipes at What Meegan Makes. Meegan use to stage and decorate weddings for 17 years, where she organized and decorated every aspect of a wedding to give a bride her perfect dream wedding. The most rewarding part of this being, seeing a bride’s eyes light up after seeing all of her hard work. So we are proud to bring you the Designer Insights of Meegan Fast.

My style is cottage, vintage, beachy, and thrifted. It comes from years of collecting vintage items, shells, shopping thrift stores and desiring a beach cottage.

2) When starting a new project, what is your creative process?

When I spot something unique, I ponder about how I can make it my own. The creative juices are flowing until I find a place for it in my home.

3) Out of the creative people you have worked with, who is it that you respect and admire the most?

When working as a wedding coordinator, my partner Wendy. We had chemistry much like one another. She would suggest an idea and I create from that, and vice versa. Our creativity went beyond our own expectations. It was an enjoyable time-and many times did not feel like work, but pure creativity.

4) When looking for inspiration is there a particular thing you do to get inspired?

When looking for inspiration I browse through antique malls, thrift stores, and high end furniture shops. Then can envision our small condo on a smaller, simpler scale. BUT, with a high end look.

5) What has brought you to this point in your career? And what is your advice for people looking to follow in your footsteps?

I came to this point after raising a large family and designing weddings for 17 years. I find fulfillment in creating and designing. I stick to my core when choosing pieces. Advice: Follow your love and creativity. Not trends.

Thanks for stopping by today and sharing one of my blogging accomplishments with me. It was a BIG deal for me: Designer Insights with Meegan.

It’s the time of week that makes me so happy. It’s Field Trip Friday. Today we have Ann visiting What Meegan Makes. I am thrilled to have Ann on my blog. Especially for all of you to see her talent and creativity. It’s your turn Ann…

Hello! I’m Ann and I write the lifestyle website called On Sutton Place. I’m a reluctant empty nester who got a wild idea a few years ago to start a blog that focused on all the various aspects of my home. The house itself, the garden, the porches, the kitchen and the family that lives there. What started as something to fill the empty hours has turned into a full time job that I love. I am a DIY, self-taught decorator and a firm believer in surrounding yourself with things you love.

When Meegan invited me to visit her readers and tell a bit about myself I wasn’t quite sure what to say. So I’ll just start from the beginning. When I decided to start a blog, I had no idea what I was doing. Deep down I knew I just had to try. I was a magazine junkie and devoured every issue of several different home and garden publications.

My sewing skills came in very handy as did my ability to use a paint brush. I wasn’t afraid of hard work and I will be the first to tell you that hard work really does pay off. For more on that read The Story of Our House.

I love a collected-over-time and classic look…but if I really like something that doesn’t quite fit, I do my best to make it work. Even if it isn’t the right style or color. I decorate in layers so it’s easy to change the look of a room by just switching out a layer or two.

I especially love being in my kitchen. I am a very basic cook and I enjoy making family dinners. A good place to start to see what comes out of my kitchen is Family Favorites. I also share some basic baking tips that I’ve picked up over the years. The perfect recipe, in my opinion, has no more than 5 or 6 ingredients. Simple is almost always best!

Other than my kitchen, my two favorite places to hang out are my yard and my sewing room. We’ll start with the yard. It’s come a long way since we moved in and I recently rounded up my ten best gardening posts on what I’ve learned. Nothing makes me happier than decorating with flowers from my garden.

Shortly after I started my blog, I opened an online shop called Sutton Place Designs. I make and sell textile home furnishings from vintage fabrics, ticking and linen. I usually list items in my shop once a month and always let my readers know on my blog and through my social media. I’d love to have any of Meegan’s readers stop over and take a look around.

So that’s the story of my blog in a nutshell. I want to thank Meegan for having me and invite you all to stop and visit On Sutton Place anytime!

Thanks so much Ann for taking your time to be a guest on Field Trip Field. It means a lot to me.

Okay, did you love Ann as much as I thought you would?? I already know the answer to that. A resounding YES!

Thanks for visiting my blog today for Field Trip Friday with Ann From On Sutton Place.

It’s Field Trip Friday! One of my favorite days of the week. This week I am sharing 4 Field Trips for you. Each one has been a guest on Field Trip Friday at some point. I thought it would be fun to look back at The Best of Field Trip Friday. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did both times around…

There is a small snippet from each field trip so you can get a little taste of what each blogger’s forte’ is.

My husband, Richard, and I, transformed our dark living room by selling our sectional on Craig’s List, updating the furniture, painting, and adding some inexpensive custom trim to the walls to open the space.

I also integrated several DIY decorating ideas into the space such as:

I made the bed, not just pulling the sheets up. I made the bed, using plywood and wood leftover from a house construction across the street in our old neighborhood. The chair was made copied from one in a local furniture store window, except I added the “bowtie” a family symbol. The cabinet on the right was made to hold a TV but in this house it’s only duty now is to hold pillows.

Our TV now hangs on the wall in the master bedroom. My grandson helped make the shelf under the TV during summer break.

This is a faux or fake fireplace and one of my personal favorites. Many broken and scrap wood pieces were used to make the mantel. This picture does not show it well, but the firebox area is painted with chalkboard paint. That makes for some fun chalk drawings.

Now let’s run back through the downstairs to the front door. I forgot to show the powder room sink. It was made with a leftover log from the living room ceiling.
I did not make it!

It’s Field Trip Friday with Nancy from Artsy Chicks Rule! It’s a real treat to have Nancy here today.

Nancy is more than talented. She can transform furniture, make crafts, and has a beautiful blog full of inspiration. Take it away, Nancy…

Hi Everyone!

I’m so happy to be here today to share a bit about myself and my blog.
Thank you so much for inviting me Meegan!

My name is Nancy and I am a mother of 2 and wife to one fabulous guy.
I write a blog called Artsy Chicks Rule about my love of DIY, design & decor on a budget.
I love re-inventing thrifty finds, making signs & graphics and a little bit of everything else.
My husband and I have been DIY-ers for many years.

I also love doing anything “artsy” and have my entire life.
Which is why, when I started thinking about writing a blog, my husband came up with the name….Artsy Chicks Rule.
He’s called me his “arsty chick” for 25 years so the name was a perfect fit!

Happy Thursday!!! Isn’t it a beautiful Spring day? I am in California helping my mom recover from a hip replacement surgery. She is slowly recovering, but doing really well. I am enjoying the green hills and the birds singing while I am here. And, of course the quality time I am having with my mom. I am also excited to spend Easter with some of our sweet grand kiddos.

If you know me, you know I like vintage and book pages, right? Well, I have the ideal book page bird nest for your Easter table or for anytime of year. This is MY version of a DIY Book Page Bird Nest.

I’ve said many times that my house never feels more like home than when I’m cooking for my family. Dinner doesn’t have to be an elaborate production. In fact, some of my family’s favorite meals are very simple to make, like this easy enchilada dinner.

With a glance my formal living room tells you quite a bit about me. I am drawn to color and texture. My style is very eclectic. I collected these pieces from estate sales, relatives, and popular furniture stores.

And how do you like my wallpaper? It’s actually a stencil!

I am totally coocoo for Homemade Chalk Paint these days! I have videos and recipes for you! See the before & after of this chair I designed for me my daughter too.

One my favorite kid projects is this collapsible glue-gun teepee I made for my son’s fifth birthday. It is made with outdoor fabric so we leave it outside all summer and then collapse it and move it in for the winter. Anyone with a glue gun can make a teepee like this!

This coocoo momma loves a good upcyle! I enjoying creating pretty, functional pieces out of something most people would throw out (or sell on the cheap).

I transformed a $60 craigslist find to this beautiful Peacock Blue Table. If you’ve ever wondered how to glaze painted furniture make sure you check out my detailed tutorial.

I love fabric! I upcycled old fabric remnants to make this pretty embroidery hoop wall art. This thrifty project is one of my favorite things! It’s an inexpensive way to make a boring wall beautiful.

My favorite upcycle is found in my master bathroom. The master bath was our families first major renovation! You are looking at a picture of what used to be our vanity mirror. See how we removed it and flipped it on it’s side to make it the focal point of our bathroom.

Thank you for allowing me to share today Meegan! This coocoo momma couldn’t be more grateful.

If you’d like to see more of my projects or learn more about the whole coocoo family visit me at mommy is coocoo

Well, my worries weren’t needed AT ALL. My lamp was packed very carefully. I first opened the box and spotted the lamp shade. Don’t you hate it when a lamp shade is cracked? Especially a new one?

After pulling out the lamp shade, I spotted THE lamp. THE lamp I was so excited to see and use in our home.

As I inspected the shade, I discovered I worried for nothing! The shade was in PERFECT condition. No cracks or tears anywhere. I was falling in love!

I just love me a drum shade don’t you? And, this drum shade was a texture I desired in our living room. Not too heavy, but slightly textured. Perfection!

And the lamp!! Oh my goodness the lamp was even more than I anticipated! It has so much detail, with the black circular motion and the bits of gold. Not too much, but subtle enough to add some contrast.

A bonus…for as light and textured as this lamp is, it came out of the box in a perfect shape. There wasn’t one thing out of place. No crunched sides or indentions. It had been wrapped and packaged with every intent to get to me whole and in impeccable condition.

Look at the detail, and the craftsmanship. Just as I saw it on Lamps.com

What an excellent way to light up our living room. It adds class and defintion to the whole room. Exactly what I had in mind.

If YOU are looking for a lamp, DO NOT hesitate to order one from Lamps.com. I highly recommend them, their customer service and the quality of their lamps. I would definitely order a lamp from them again. The varity of lamps available is second to none. There are floor lamps, accent lamps, outdoor lighting, wall lights, ceiling fans and so much more.

Three reasons to order from Lamps.com:

* You shouldn’t have to pay to have your items delivered. We’ll cover the ground shipping cost of your items, regardless of cost. Whether it’s $10 or $10,000, your item ships for free!

* Here at Lamps.com we want to make shopping for lighting as easy as possible. One way we do this is by saving you a trip to the hardware store for bulbs. When you order a fixture from us, we will send light bulbs that work with the fixture you ordered!

*Lamps.com strives to ensure that you are 100% satisfied with your purchase. Qualifying purchases can be returned up to 30 days from the date your order is delivered. The return process is quick and easy, however prior authorization is required to properly process a return. To begin the return process, please email returns@lamps.com or call us at 888-602-7011.

Thanks to Lamps.com my living room is complete, not only with light, but with style as well.

I couldn’t be happier about today’s Field Trip Friday with Debbie from Debbie Doos. She took me under her wing right from the beginning of my first blog post. So, it is an honor for me to have her here today.

Hi there everyone, so nice to be here today at What Meegan Makes.

Meegan and I go way back, like way back to when she first started blogging. It has been a pleasure getting to know her through this journey of creativity.

I always question what makes something so popular, and you really never do know. I just do things I love and if it sticks, great, if not, that is fine too, I LIKE IT! and it is our home. You have to enjoy your own surroundings and be comfortable with your own style. That is one thing that has been the toughest for me in blogging.

Today we have a special treat with Christy from Our Southern Home!! She has put together a round up of 15+ Furniture Painting Projects YOU Can Do. I am so happy to share it with YOU today! Take it away Christy…

I hope you have all been having a wonderful holiday season!

I am so enjoying a little break and spending time with my family just hanging out!

I am excited for the new year and beginning new projects in our home. Painting furniture and accessories is such a wonderful way to give new life to items that you are maybe not so excited about anymore. Or maybe you found that great side table at a yard sale, and you just need some inspiration! Enjoy and be inspired by 15+ Awesome Furniture Painting Projects You Can Do!

Here are 15+Amazing Furniture Painting Projects!

Let’s get started with one of my projects. My mom bought me this antique desk in really bad shape at a yard sale for $15. I used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint to revive it for my teen son’s room. You can find the complete how-to HERE from Our Southern Home.

You can even update a piece with just stripes from Just a Girl and Her Blog! Abby adds grain sack stripes to an already painted chest for a quick update! Stripes are hot right now!

Chateau Grey is my absolute favorite Annie Sloan Chalk paint color. Sharon from Mrs. Hines Class painted this old dresser, and it is now used as a media cabinet! Where is the “Love” button?

Check out this whimsical beauty by Amanda from Mommy is Coo Coo. The fabric and color choice are such fun!!! I have a major crush on this chair!

Nancy from Artsy Chicks Rule is such a talented furniture painter and artist. She makes adding topography to furniture look so easy. Guess what…it really is! Visit Nancy for all the details!

Beautifully painted furniture doesn’t have to just be painted in chalky paint brands. This is lovely finished in gloss from Lowe’s! Visit Paula from Sweet Pea for the color and details!

Loving this retro table. Jen from Girl in the Garage has awesome tips for painting geometric designs on furniture! She does lots of furniture so be sure to click around on her blog!

This piece by Pamela From My Front Porch To Yours shows that you shouldn’t look over a badly damaged piece. This water damaged secretary is painted with not one, but two chalk paint colors. The inside is left stained!

Serena from Thrift Diving has an amazing twofer (is that a real word?) for you! Not only will she share with you the paint project, but shares how to reupholster this chair in detail!

Last, but not least by any means is Julie from Lilacs and Longhorns. She transformed this Craig’s List find with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint AND added bun feet. Visit for the how-to.

I encourage you to look around your home. Is there something that you are just bored with? Why not try your hand at paint! Scared or nervous? Practice on a yard sale or thrift store find first. You can even practice on scrap wood!

I’d love for you to pin the individual projects…just visit the individual blogs from the links and pin directly from their project. It will make it much easier for you and others to find it down the road.

Thanks so much for putting this together, Christy!! Each one is unique and inspiring! I KNOW each one of my readers has enjoyed 15+ Painting Projects YOU Can Do with Christy!!

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FASHION OVER FIFTY SERIES

COTTAGE STYLE HOME DECOR FURNISHED WITH VINTAGE & THRIFTED FINDS

MY RECENT PINS

AD Need new kitchen accessories and gadgets? Be sure to check out the full product line of @ThymeandTable at Walmart during your next shopping trip and learn more on their website http://www.thymeandtablekitchen.com #WhatAGoodThyme

My Easter Book Page and Tissue Paper Wreath tutorial is easy to follow. It is a welcoming sight on your front door for visitors all year long. Easy and fun!

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